Orangetheory Notes the Irony of Women's Day Being Just 23 Hours This Year

Half of humanity’s about to get sold short … again!

International Women’s Day is this Sunday, March 8, which also marks the start of daylight saving time in various Northern Hemisphere territories, including the U.S. That’s when we spring ahead, as it were, advancing our clocks 60 minutes in the wee hours. It’s the one day of the year that lasts just 23 hours.

Which means we’ve chosen the shortest day of 2020 to celebrate the accomplishments and transcendent spirit of women. D’oh!

Orangetheory Fitness notes the irony in a :45 created by Tombras, director Madeline Kelly and an all-female crew. Featuring diverse women including brand co-founder Ellen Latham, it’s driven by the rallying cry, “You’ve changed the world with less. Imagine what you can do with more.”

“Our hope is that women everywhere watch this and feel motivated to go after their goals, regardless of what stipulations life has presented them with on International Women’s Day and every day thereafter,” Orangetheory global marketing head Tammie DeGrasse-Cabrera tells Muse.

“We filmed the spot during a weekend and had a large audience at some of our locations, which were heavily populated by folks living in the neighborhoods or tourists in Brooklyn,” says producer Anna Barcis of Barcis Productions. “People are always curious when they encounter a shoot. One person asked: Is that actress famous? We told them: Not yet!”

On IWD last year, Orangetheory partnered with TBS and TNT for programming that featured shows with female leads and segments from women creators, directors and storytellers.

In 2020, the brand wanted to highlight Latham, “who pursued her dreams while additionally drawing inspiration from the stories of Orangetheory members, coaches, owners and staff all over the world,” says Kevin Keith, the company’s chief brand officer. 

During the shoot, “the crew was especially responsive to Ellen’s appearance,” Barcis says. “Even if they had never heard of the brand, many were inspired once word got out that she started the company, single-handedly, from her own home.”

Orangetheory and Tombras have earned kudos for inventive time-change campaigns and promotions. Most notably, on Nov. 4, 2018, the team offered free workouts to the entire nation to celebrate the arrival of an extra hour as standard time began.

In addition to the new commercial, Orangetheory will make a percent-of-profit donation to the Global Fund for Women.

CREDITS

Client: Orangetheory
Agency: Tombras
Brian Locascio, VP, Creative Director
Tony Ciampa, Creative Director
Maddie Lane, Senior Art Director
Madeline Kelly, Director
Zoë Simone Yi, Director of Photography
Anna Barcis, Producer
Production Company Curfew
Kathryn Berk, Executive Producer
Spencer Dennis, Executive Producer
Mark Smith, Executive Producer
Willa Goldfeder, Line Producer
Steven Killian, Art Director
Jordan Fish, Editor
Kath Raisch, Colorist
Human, Music
Cast in order of appearance:
Yvonna Pearson
Ali Ryan
Lida Darmian
Ellen Latham